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My Language-Learning Journey
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I've been learning languages for a long time. I started casually learning Japanese when I was in high school, though that didn't go very far (I speak very very little of the language now). However, these days, learning languages is my specialty.
Two of my three minors in college are Arabic and Chinese, and I have also been taking Russian classes for a year and a half. This coming fall semester (Fall 2018), I will be adding French class and American Sign Language class to my list of language classes!
Many people ask me, "how are you able to study all of these languages?"
It started as a desire to work for the United Nations. I knew that I wanted to make myself appealing as an applicant, so I started to learn the official languages of the UN, such as Arabic, Chinese, Russian, and French (foregoing Spanish). I took two years of French in high school, and then continued studying it on Duolingo. Then, once I entered college, I began Arabic and Chinese. It was so incredibly difficult, to the point where I received a D in my Arabic class for two semesters in a row. I had to make an important decision.
Do I quit Arabic? Can I handle taking two different languages at once? Am I making it too hard for myself since it's only my first year in college?
Ultimately, I decided to continue taking both Arabic and Chinese classes. I switched professors for Arabic and I ended up starting to get A's. I spent much more time studying and doing the homework and exercises, and it paid off. By the beginning of my senior year in college, I was still taking Arabic and Chinese, and began to take Arabic with the head of the Arabic department, who is the best professor I have ever had in the language. I was doing really well in my language classes, and not struggling nearly as much as I used to!
Then I did something crazy. I enrolled in Russian class.
Everyone thought that I was nuts. Three languages at once?? During my senior year??!! My parents were hesitant about it, my advisor definitely thought I was crazy, and my languages professors weren't sure if I could handle it.
Then, fall semester came around. I started Russian class with one of the best professors for it, and it has been one of the easiest classes I have ever taken. It might be because I've finally figured out how I learn languages best, so I didn't have to adapt to the language-learning process from scratch. I loved Russian so much, and I picked it up so fast, that I went to Russia this past summer (Summer 2018) for a study abroad program through my university. It was a fantastic experience, and my Russian is pretty good now!
Unfortunately, that would be it. I wasn't able to fit Russian class into my schedule for this coming fall, so what would I do now?
I signed up for French and American Sign Language. I knew I wouldn't be happy without learning something other than the Arabic and Chinese that I had been taking for four years (and would be continuing with in the coming fall), so I signed up for Accelerated French and ASL. At this point, I would say that everyone is used to me doing this.
So now I am getting ready for my last semester of college, where I will graduate having studied five different languages. This journey started with me just wanting a good job, but it's so much more than that now. I have learned about so many cultures, met so many people, and traveled to so many places.
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The key to learning so many languages wasn't wanting a good job. It was wanting to connect with people no matter where I am in the world. Speaking to someone in their own language means more to them than anything else, and has opened so many doors for me.
As for the specific techniques and resources that I use for language learning, that is for another post! Stay tuned!
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